Speaker Vos says SeniorCare fee increase possible (VIDEO)

While Republicans have backed away from a state budget proposal to make changes to Wisconsin’s SeniorCare prescription drug program, enrollment fees to join could more than double.

Assembly Speaker Robin Vos (R-Rochester) said Tuesday that Republicans believe that a “small increase” in the current $30 enrollment fee is a reasonable proposition. When pressed on what constitutes a small increase though, Vos said they have not had specific discussions on that yet, but added that “five or seven dollars a month for a really good coverage plan, I don’t think is an unreasonable place to be.”

Setting the program at $5 a month would essentially double the yearly cost of SeniorCare.

Vos noted that the SeniorCare program has remain basically unchanged since before the creation of Medicare Part D, and any increase would still leave seniors with one of the cheapest plans in the state.

Governor Scott Walker’s budget plan calls for requiring SeniorCare enrollees to first get their drugs from Medicare Part D, while relying on the state program to fill the coverage gap. Republicans have indicated they plan to remove those changes though, after hearing concerns from seniors during statewide budget hearings.

Democrats have called on Republicans to leave the program completely unchanged.